A Second Chance
by My Alternate Reality
Summary: Angel finds his son in a dimension where time runs in reverse making Connor six years old. Angel gets the chance to be the father he wanted to be. Will contain discipline in the form of parental spanking.  plan to make this an ongoing series
1. Chapter 1

Connor crouched down in the shadows and eyed the building again. It was a bar that catered to demons, he had heard of it before, but he never thought he would enter. He didn't need to be around anyone, least of all the lowest scum of the earth!

His thin body shook as a gust of wind blew down the alley. He was cold, a chill down to his bones that had little to do with the weather. If he had to admit it—and he wasn't admitting anything, mind you, but if he _had_to, he would say he felt a little guilty about the deep sea adventure he had sent Angel on. Now he knew he had been wrong about Angel. Wrong about a lot of things, but his shame stemmed from thinking that Angel killed Holtz, now that he knew about the part that Justine played.

He shook his head. He was also wrong about Angel. Maybe, just maybe, the vampire did have a soul. Having spent the summer with Gunn and Fred, he heard about the type of stuff that their agency, Angel Investigations, did. Their motto was, "We help the helpless," and it seemed that was exactly what they did. Connor himself had even gone on cases. His favorite, of course, was dusting vampires.

Connor's mind went back to Quor'toth, as he remembered how Father first taught him to kill vampires. It was his purpose in life to exact revenge upon the demon, Angelus, for what he did to Father's family. They practiced the art of vampire slaying as early as Connor could remember. There were all kinds of monsters to kill in that hell dimension. He was never quite so alone. Not like now, after having wrongfully punished Angel. He shook his head, he had been so sure that Angel had killed Father.

The cold wind blew again, bringing his attention back to the present. He looked back to the demon bar. He didn't need to go there. He was fine being by himself! Sure, he was starting to like having people around him. People that treated him nicely like Gunn and Fred. But it wasn't like he _needed_people. It was just as well that Angel threw him out. Connor wanting to be with other people was making him soft. He was becoming so weak that he was even considering going back to the hotel and begging Angel to forgive him.

The door to the demon bar swung open with music and muffled voices pouring out. Connor pushed himself up off the ground quickly. He may not have needed anyone but he could go in for a drink. Sure he was only 18 in this world, but a demon bar wouldn't care. With that thought he stepped forward, leading right into the darkened bar.

The atmosphere was lively and the place was packed. Connor strode forward as if he knew what he was doing. _When in doubt, act like you belong._He stopped at a spot where it wouldn't be strange to stand around and people watch. He glanced around the room and noticed all the different kinds of demons, some red, some green and some that even looked human. He focused on the bar so that he could properly order a drink and watched as a blond vampire ordered a beer.

Connor walked a little closer so he could make out what was being said. This blond vampire had an accent like Father's. Connor noticed something new in the air. He breathed in deeper and realized that this vampire smelled familiar, almost, but not quite like Angel. He stepped a little closer to investigate when the vampire's head suddenly lifted. Connor quickly darted into the crowd behind him before the vampire could turn his head. Unnatural speed came in handy, sometimes. He could almost feel the eyes of the demon hunting him when a voice called out, taking the attention off Connor.

Spike had been sitting at the bar, quietly ordering a beer when he smelled something…Something that smelled almost like Angelus and Darla. He lifted his head quickly and scanned the crowd, wondering if he was either going crazy or his Grandsire had lost his soul again. He saw nothing that could possibly be The Scourge of Europe (A.K.A. Angelus). He was about to get up to take a closer look, although if Angelus were really there, _everyone_would know it, when he heard someone call for him, "Spike! You old scoundrel, what are you doing here?"

"Blimey, mate! What are you doing in Los Angeles?" Spike asked the demon that had just addressed him.

Connor breathed a sigh of relief. That was exactly what he didn't want. He had wanted to blend into the crowd, not stand out. And there was definitely something up with that vampire. Connor wasn't sure what it was, but it was familiar, safe. He quickly squelched those thoughts. He didn't need to think about the smells that made him think of Angel, to think of having a home. He didn't have a home. He didn't have a family. He sighed again and tried to distract himself with the sounds around him.

He found himself listening to a pair of demons. The red, scaly demon was explaining to the more human looking one about a deal he had going.

"…is all you need." Connor had missed what the first part of that sentence was.

The human looking demon then stated, "But you said he likes babies."

Connor's ears perked up at that. There was no way he was going to let someone hurt a baby. A distant memory came to him as he heard the words in his mind, _"I'll snap its neck if you come any closer…"_ A chill crept down Connor's spine as he thought the voice sounded like Father's. _Why would thinking about saving a baby bring that thought to mind?_He wondered as he absently rubbed his own neck.

He shook himself from the dreary thoughts as he tuned back into the conversation. The red demon was speaking again, "….All you gotta do is grab the kid. I can get the portal open."

Now Connor knew he had to stop whatever these two had planned. There was no way he was allowing them to open up a portal, especially one they planned to put a kid into! He checked to make sure he had his weapons on him as he made his way to the back of the building. He planned to track the demons once they left. He didn't have to wait long.

Connor followed the red demon to a dark alley, surrounded by old abandoned buildings. He watched and waited until the human looking one returned, carrying a small, crying, human girl. He stepped out of the shadows and ordered them to stop. The human looking demon was so startled he put down the little girl, who promptly ran off.

The red demon smacked the other on the arm and said, "You stupid oaf! What did you do that for? Go get her!" And with that the human looking one ran off. The red demon turned to him and asked, "Who the hell are you?"

Connor strode forward and exclaimed, "I am the Destroyer and…" was all he was able to get out before hearing a deafening '_crack!' _Everything froze for a long moment before blinding pain flooded his brain and the world went dark.

Spike walked into the bar and sat at a table this time. The last time he had been there was a few days ago. He was still trying to work up his courage to go and speak with Angel now that he was in LA, but chickened out…uh, decided wisely against going, when he thought he had smelled his Grandsire. Turned out that it was just his senses playing tricks on him, since he never did come across Angel. So, instead of going to see the older vampire, he chose to listen to the local gossip.

Apparently there was rumor that Darla had come into town a few months ago. The next part of the story proved it was all a lie though, since the rumor also said that she had been pregnant. Spike almost laughed out loud at that one! _A pregnant vampire, as if. _He was still smirking as he watched a trio sit down at a table near him. He listened with half his attention as he waited to get served.

"I'm telling you, it was the funniest thing," a red scaled demon was saying as he sat with his companions.

The human looking, Vocar demon snorted as he said, "It wasn't that funny at the time."

The first one waved him off, saying, "Well, if you hadn't put that kid down we could have had two. Now we only have the one." Tilting his head to indicate the other red scaled demon, "He smacked that boy in the head with the pipe. The only problem is with that one being so old it is going to take much longer…"

Spike's interest in the story was abruptly halted when he smelled a familiar smell. This time is was the distinct smell of his grandsire…

Angel circled the block again. He couldn't believe he had lost the trail. Well, lost wasn't exactly what he had done. It seemed that the last place his son had been was the demon bar, "Apathy". He rolled his eyes at the name but pushed forward. He hadn't seen his son in days and he was really beginning to worry. He knew that he was the one that threw him out, but he regretted that decision from the moment the words left his mouth. His own stubborn pride kept him from taking those words back. He should have. Instead he was keeping an eye on him from a distance. He stalked the boy every day up until a few days ago when the trail ended here at this bar.

Angel pushed the doors opened and walked in. His eyes quickly scanned the bar then the tables, only stopping when they caught the sight of a familiar blond vampire.

Spike's head shot up and he caught Angel's eyes. They both stared at each other for a moment. Spike was thinking about the last time he smelled the other vampire and that he was actually more than surprised to see him there now.

Angel couldn't believe that it was Spike before him. He had heard that Spike had a soul, but he didn't think he would find him here. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he had the chance the boisterous table next to them said something that changed Angel's focus.

"Then he said, 'I'm The Destroyer'," the red scaled demon stated loudly, and the table of demons erupted into laughter, completely oblivious to the attention they had just garnered. "Some _Destroyer_he turned out to be."

Within the blink of an eye, Angel was at the table with his hand around the speaker's neck. "Where is he?" Angel shouted at the now choking man.

Spike wasn't sure what was going on. One minute Angel was staring him down, the next he was strangling some demon.

"I won't ask again," Angel stated menacingly, his eyes on the demon in his hands.

Spike glanced around at the other members of the demon's group. They were all just as shocked as he was that Angel was acting this way. "Er, mate, I don't think…"

Angel didn't let him continue, "Shut up, Spike!"

The demon stared at Angel, open mouthed but saying nothing. Finally, Angel snapped his wrist and dropped him to the floor where he laid unmoving.

Now Spike was the one with the open mouth. He couldn't believe it. Sure, he had thought the other day that since he smelled both Darla and Angel that _perhaps_Angelus had returned, but now with him snapping the necks of random demons hunting for "The Destroyer" maybe Angel had lost his soul again.

Before Spike could get himself too worked up over that though and worry that he was now the only vampire with a soul, he noticed that the red scaled demon on the floor was actually still breathing. He felt his own breath of relief at the sight. There was _no way_ that _Angelus_would let any potential threat live. This had to be Angel he was dealing with. He was so caught up in his own thoughts he missed the exchange between Angel and the other red scaled demon. Whatever was said, though, it seemed to get the point across. The demon was babbling something about portals and how he could open it.

Angel dragged the demon out of the bar with one hand and flipped open his cell phone with the other. "I found him but something is wrong," Angel told the other person on the line. "Yeah, a different dimension." There was a pause before Angel said, "I don't know, but meet me in the warehouse district." Angel proceeded to give a general direction for the receiver to find him.

Spike was catching on to the idea that Angel had planned to go after whoever this "Destroyer" was. "I don't think that's such a good idea, mate."

Angel shot him a withering glare but walked on without comment.

The captive finally decided to add his two cents to the conversation, "Yeah, vampire, it wouldn't be a good idea. Time runs in reverse in my dimension." He seemed to feel braver as he spoke, "You'll be nothing but a sniveling child by the time you return."

That got a reaction, but not quite what the demon had hoped for. Angel came to a complete stop, turned the demon to face him and snarled, "What did you do to Connor?"

The demon was a bit shaken but asked, "Who?"

"Connor," Angel stated, then paused and said, "The Destroyer."  
>Whatever bravado the demon had earlier vanished as he took in the dark look from Angel. He began to babble again, "Look, I don't know what beef you have with the kid but it is taken care of now."<p>

His grip on the red demon tightened, as Angel shouted, "You will take me to him, NOW!"

The demon struggled to bring in a breath of air as he said, "I can't…"

Angel didn't like that answer at all. "What do you mean you can't? You will!"

As frightened as the demon was becoming he still repeated, "I can't," but he went on to explain, "One of my kind must stay here to keep the portal open. If I go with you we will not be able to return."

Angel wasn't sure if he believed him. He had to think fast and the resolution came to him in the form of a friend.

"Yo, Angel, man. We got here as fast as we could," Gunn said as he jumped out of the car, cautiously eyeing the blond vampire that stood with Angel.

Fred followed Gunn. "What's going on? What were you talking about with the dimension? Will we be able to reopen it? Is it safe for us to go?" she shot out question after question without waiting for a reply.

Angel was in no mood to explain. "I can't lose him again." And that was all he needed to say.

"Alright, man. I get it. We go in, get the kid and deal with this demon after," Gunn stated as if there was no question as to what was going to happen.

"No," Angel said, a bit calmer now that he had a plan in mind. "You need to stay here with this…" he left the sentence hanging as he shook the demon he was talking about. "He claims he has to be here to keep the portal open. Besides, if time does run in reverse there, it isn't going to hurt me. I'm more than two hundred years old. A few years backwards isn't going to hurt me.

Gunn had been ready to fight Angel on his plan until he heard the reasoning behind it. "Alright, it sounds like a plan."

Fred raised her bow and took aim at the demon as Angel released him.

The demon took one look around and knew he was outnumbered and outmaneuvered. He raised a ceremonial knife and drew an imaginary doorway in the air, said a few words in a language that none of the others understood and then cut his hand dripping blood in front of where the 'door' was.

The air shimmered within the rectangle and night vanished, being replaced by a bright green sky. Angel jumped through the opening, with Spike on his heels. Angel turned when he heard the footsteps behind him. "What are you doing, Spike?"

"Well, I figured time reversal might do me a bit of good—what the hell do you think I'm doing here?" Spike replied with heavy sarcasm.

Angel only huffed and kept walking. He was using every sense he had to try to track Connor but the atmosphere in this dimension was making it difficult. The area looked like a lush forest with light green misty fog. The sky was a bright green and the dark green sun warmed the air around them.

They pushed forward but finally, Spike had enough. He had to know. "Who is this Destroyer, anyway?"

Angel didn't look back at Spike as he answered matter of factly, "He's my son."

Spike stopped and stared at Angel's back before he burst out, "Bloody hell! The rumors were true?"

Before Angel could answer both vampires heard a pitiful wailing. Angel took off towards the noise with Spike not that far behind. As they got closer they could hear the words that accompanied the cries. "Please Father! I'll be good, I swear, I'll be good. Please don't leave me here."

The sounds almost broke Angel's un-beating heart. And if the words were bad, the sight was significantly worse. Before them sat a small boy, dressed in oversized clothes trying his hardest to pry open what appeared to be a bear trap that was cutting into his leg.

Angel moved slowly toward the boy, trying not to frighten him. He wasn't positive that this child was his son. The last time he had seen Connor, he had been an 18-year -old, with a smirk and a smart mouth. This child was sobbing, dripping with tears and snot. But the demon had said that time ran in reverse so Angel spoke softly, "Connor."

That got the boy's attention. He stopped crying, his head shot up and as soon as he saw Angel, the boy began to scramble backwards, stopping short when the chain attached to the trap kept him tethered to a pole.

As soon as the blue eyes caught Angel, he knew that boy was Connor. His heart gave a lurch watching the child hurt himself trying to crawl away from him. He ran on instinct as he said, "Shhhh, it's ok. It's going to be alright, Connor."

This did nothing to settle the child. "My name is Steven!" the boy said defiantly.

"Er, are you sure we got the right kid?" Spike asked.

When Connor heard him speak his eyes became hopeful. This man had an accent like Father's! "Do you know Father?" he asked with wide eyed innocence that only a young child had.

Before Spike could speak, Angel nearly growled, "Holtz is not your father!"

Still defiant, Connor said, "Yes he is! His name is Daniel Holtz and God brought us together so he could save me from the demon…"

Angel internally rolled his eyes at the boy's words. The last thing he needed to hear was Holtz's rhetoric. Connor was his son. _His_son! Angel attention was brought back when he heard Connor wince as he shifted his leg. "Look, Connor, I'm not going to discuss this with you while you are trapped here."

He looked down at the steel trap around Connor's leg. "Spike, help me get this off him."

Spike did as he was asked, prying the jaws open.

Angel gently lifted the leg out and pulled the boy into his lap. Connor didn't even whimper through the actions. Angel examined the jagged cuts before sighing, "Oh, Connor."

Connor looked up, confused at the sentiment and said, "It's ok. Father says the demon inside me will heal it quickly."

Angel's face tightened into a grimace that Connor missed as he continued, "Like it did last time."

"Last time?" Angel repeated as a question. "What do you mean last time?" He couldn't keep the anger from tinting his words.

Connor thought the anger was directed at him. He hung his head to reply, "I didn't mean to…" then he paused. He seemed to struggle with himself for a moment remembering what Father had taught him. You have to own up to your mistakes. So Connor started again with his head hanging even lower, "I was bad."

Angel was about to lose it. Holtz had strapped Connor into a bear trap as a punishment? And it seemed he had done this to the boy when he was no older than six! He opened his mouth to say something when the noises of the forest changed. He stood quickly, cradling Connor close to his body.

"I think we need to get outta here, Angel," Spike said quietly, while looking around to detect the threat.

Agreeing with him, Angel started to walk quickly in the direction he had come from.

The interaction between the vampires was all the time Connor needed to figure out who was now holding him. "You're Angelus, aren't you?"

Spike and Angel continued toward the portal as Angel answered, "No, I'm Angel—your father."

Connor began to struggle against Angel's hold. "Let me go, you filthy demon! I'm not going with you!"

Holding the boy closer, Angel informed the squirming boy, "Yes, you are, and we will discuss this after we get your leg looked at."

The struggle continued but fortunately they were near the portal.

When the trio emerged from the opening, Gunn turned abruptly to face them. "How did you find him so quickly? Ya'll just walked in there."

"Oh my! Is that Connor?" Fred asked while she walked closer to examine the struggling boy.

Angel shifted Connor to a better hold and said, "It must have something to do with the time differences."

"Where did the demon go?" Spike asked as he looked around the general area.

Gunn spun around and realized that the demon had gotten away while his attention was on the vampires. "Damnit!"

Angel was less concerned about the missing demon than he was about his son. "We'll worry about him later. Let's just get him home."

Fred and Gunn only looked at each other with Fred mouthing the word "_home_". They had no idea what had happened to Connor in that other dimension. They were only concerned with how it was going to affect them now. Instead of voicing their opinions they gathered their gear and followed Angel to the car, and headed back to the hotel.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

The group exited the car and headed into the building. Connor had struggled with Angel the entire way and finally felt he had enough. He was going to end this one way or another. In a daring move he bit down on Angel's arm as hard as he could. The reaction was not what he expected.

Angel tightened the arm that was holding him and with the other arm smacked his bottom, hard as he said, "That's enough of that, Connor."

Connor was shocked, to say the least. He expected that he would be able to get away or that the demon would snap his neck. Scratch that, drain him dry then snap his neck! He never thought that the monster would smack him. This put Connor a little on edge. With Father, a smack always meant that something worse was coming, usually a whipping just as soon as Father could tie him up. It seemed to be smarter to go with the flow and just listen to the vampire. He would get his chance. He always did. Kill or be killed and he was still alive to prove it!

Angel was kinda shocked by his reaction to Connor biting him. It wasn't that it was his first time being bitten. After a hundred years in hell being bitten was the least of Angel's concerns. It was just that he was thinking this time he was going to do right by Connor. He didn't know how long this age reversal thing was going to last or what the consequences were from it but whatever was going on with his boy he was getting a second chance to be a father. And he planned to use that chance!

Walking into the hotel, Angel went directly to the couch and placed Connor down. He gently lifted the injured leg and began to examine it.

Fred watched Angel and then announced, "I'll get the first aid kit." Coming back with said item she sat next to Connor, really getting a good look at the teeth marks from the metal jaw that tore open the boy's leg. "Oh, sweetie," she said softly, "I'll bet that hurts, but don't you worry. Your dad will fix you up in no time."

Connor cringed at the honorific placed on Angel but said nothing.

Angel continued to examine then carefully clean the wound saying, "I don't think anything is broken." He painstakingly wrapped the limb. "But you need to stay off it," he said directly to the boy.

Connor looked at him. "No," he stated plainly.

"No?" Angel repeated in question.

The boy began to scoot forward as he said, "I gotta get outta here." Though he did falter a bit at Angel's glare.

"You aren't going anywhere, little man. I told you already, I am your father and you are staying here with me," Angel said in no uncertain terms.

"No—I'm not," Connor reiterated.

Angel ignored the interruption as he said, "The only thing you gotta do is get something to eat."

"No," Connor said again. He didn't need to do what this vampire said!

Dragging in an unneeded breath Angel internally rolled his eyes. Why was he surprised that the boy was so obstinate? He looked over at Fred and asked, "Would you make him something to eat, please?"

Fred smiled down at Connor and then went to the kitchen.

Connor crossed his little arms and said, "I'm not going to eat. You can't make me!" He looked almost like he was going to stick his tongue out at the end of the statement but probably hadn't been introduced to the gesture.

Angel was about to argue with the boy when Connor's stomach growled loudly. He decided the best way to win would be to not fight the kid on it. "Fine, eat or sit there and stare at the food, I don't care," Angel lied, "so long as you don't move from the couch."

"Fine," Connor said, all but pouting his displeasure.

Fred brought back a sandwich and some milk, setting them in front of him. Connor glanced at Angel, who had wisely decided to ignore the rest of the interaction, before he picked up the sandwich.

Fred smiled at Connor saying, "You'll like it, I promise." And she gave him an encouraging nod before she said, "No tomatoes."

Connor sniffed the sandwich as Fred spoke. He didn't know what a tomato was, but figured it was probably a poison, so he made a mental note to steer clear of any of those in the future. He took a tentative bite. He was surprised at how hungry he actually was and ate the rest of it with gusto.

Satisfied that Connor was eating, Angel turned to Gunn and said, "I need you to get ahold of Wes. We need to find out everything we can about those demons and that dimension they come from."

He glanced at Spike next as he said, "I need you to tell Wes everything you know about them."

"Yeah, there's a problem. I've got, er, stuff, yeah, stuff to do and I need to head out and…" Spike stumbled the words out before Angel interrupted him.

"You've got nothing that is more important than this, Spike," Angel said, then softly added, "This is about family."

The two vampires made eye contact for a moment. Neither spoke but came to a mutual understanding. Spike was family and he would stay and do whatever he could to help.

Angel walked into his office and grabbed the books that they had used when trying to open the portal to Quor'toth, hauling them out for everyone to start to go through. Before he grabbed his own volume, he chanced a look over to Connor. The boy had fallen asleep. It was no wonder that he was tired with the state they had found him in.

Walking over to the couch, Angel picked the sleeping child up and cradled him in his arms. It was a testament to how exhausted the boy was that he didn't awaken from the movement. Angel carried him up the stairs, taking Connor to the bedroom he had over the summer. After the child was settled in and covered up, Angel stood in the doorway and watched him for a few moments. Crossing the room again, he brushed the bangs away and quickly kissed his forehead.

Angel couldn't believe he was staring at a young Connor. He thought he had lost his chance. With those thoughts he turned and left the room. They needed to find answers about what had happened. There could be more serious side effects than just becoming younger. The human body was not meant to age in reverse.

Hours later, the only sound in the hotel was the turning of pages. Wesley was the one to break the silence. "Well, so far all we know for sure is that the human looking, Vocar Demon, was only hired help. We don't know if those red scaled demons are from that other dimension or even where exactly that dimension is."

"Thank you so much for the recap on what we don't know," Angel said as he threw his book.

Gunn interrupted, "Angel, man, we're all just a little stressed here. No need to go throwing things."

Angel had crossed the room and had his back to his friends.

"I'm sure we'll find something soon," Fred placated.

Angel raised his hand to his forehead, as if in thought, before he turned and said, "I'm sorry. It's just…" He let the sentence hang as he looked up the stairs toward Connor's room. "He's been through so much and I don't know what this is going to do to him." He paused again, and then said imploringly, "He's my son."

Fred walked over and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, quietly saying, "We'll figure this out. He's going to be fine."

Angel wanted to rant and say, "_You don't know that!" _ But instead he just nodded and went to pick up the book he had thrown across the room.

**.Angel The Series.**

Connor awoke to a strange feeling above and below him. He was snuggled into something that was far too warm and comfortable for him to be home, in their cave in Quor'toth. Keeping his eyes closed, he stretched out his other senses trying to figure out where he was. Father had tricked him once, allowing him to be captured by a bird like creature, and he had woken up in its nest. The lesson he learned was not only from the creature nearly pecking his skin off, but also from the whipping he took from Father for being caught. He wasn't going to go through that again if he could help it.

Not hearing anything to give him a clue as to where he was, Connor slowly opened one eye to gather more information. He was lying on some kind of white cloth with a different blue cloth covering him. He almost wished he could just close his eyes and relish the warmth but his survival instinct was far too strong. Past the cloths he was laying on he saw a door. Sitting up quickly, Connor assessed the room better. A door, window, chair, and this must be a bed he was laying on. It all came back to him; he was with the demon, Angelus. _This must be his lair_, Connor thought, _and I'm being held here while I sleep comfortably? _ Well that didn't make any sense. There must be a reason for it though. Father always said that vampires were cunning. Perhaps this was the trap he had feared.

Father would be so angry with him for getting captured!

Shoving the covers to the side, Connor quietly leapt off the bed and padded to the partially opened door. He didn't hear anything. The demon must be asleep. This could be his chance. He could kill Angelus and exact the revenge for Father's family. That was the reason for his existence! Finally being able to destroy that which had brought Father so much heartache!

Connor looked around the room for a weapon. Spying a desk he walked over and rummaged through the drawers. The very first drawer he opened contained a variety of different weapons including the stake he needed. He took the desired object, held it tightly in his right hand before walking back to the door and inhaling deeply to track his intended victim. He could smell that there were others in this lair, but he followed the one he was after. Laughing to himself at the folly of the vampire, he slipped through the open door. What a stupid creature this Angelus was! Didn't he know how dangerous it was to leave himself defenseless? How did the monster ever live this long?

He snuck up to the bed and stared down at the sleeping vampire. So foolish the monster was to think that it would be safe enough to sleep in an open room. Stupid vampire!

Connor raised his stake high above the chest of the demon and brought it down as swiftly as he could.

Between one blink and the next he found himself lying flat on his back with his staking hand held above his head and a very angry looking Angelus hovering over top of him.

"Connor?" Angel asked, still groggy from being woken up by his tingling senses.

"Let me go, you demon!" Connor shouted in reply. He struggled to break free but was unable to overpower the vampire.

"What do you think you are doing?" Angel asked, still not believing what was before his eyes.

Connor stopped struggling and answered, "You deserve to die! Father said it was the reason I was born and brought to him so that he could get his revenge for what you did to his family, Angelus."

Angel sighed, more of Holtz's rhetoric, just what he didn't want to hear. "Holtz was not your father, I am…"

Before he could go any further, Connor's struggles picked up. "No you're not! You're a filthy demon! LET ME GO!" He had wiggled himself enough that he could, and did, bite Angel's forearm.

The bite hurt, but Angel was more concerned with this type of behavior. If Angel continued to allow Connor to fight and bite this way when he was angry it was setting up a dangerous precedent. Angel knew that what he did now would set the tone for their relationship. With those thoughts he lifted the boy up and while placing him over his knee said, "That is enough! We are done fighting like this."

Angel decided the rest of his argument could wait until after he did what needed to be done. He lifted the too big shirt up and exposed Connor's bare butt. Apparently the pants and underwear were too big to keep wearing. Making a mental note to get the kid some new clothes, Angel raised his hand and swatted Connor.

Connor didn't know why he just bit the vampire, again. Last time it ended with him getting a smack. That was never a good sign. He wasn't thinking, just reacting. He was surprised when Angelus's only response was words and then roughly placing him over his knee. Connor wanted to laugh. _Is this what the demon thinks a good punishment is? A spanking? _ Father had told him about _spankings_. It was something naughty little boys got. Connor was no naughty little boy! He could handle anything this vampire dished out.

Three swats into the spanking, Connor was quickly changing his mind. This was not the light and fluffy punishment that Father had made it out to be. This actually hurt and made him feel vulnerable in a way that being tied down and whipped never made him feel. He felt himself involuntarily squirming to miss the well-aimed smacks. His eyes filled with liquid but he refused to let it fall out. He could outlast this. "Owww," he cried out at a particularly smarting blow. He wanted to bite his tongue. How could he give in to the monster's punishment? Instead the squirming turned to wiggling and he kicked his legs trying to avoid the hand raining down on his upturned bottom. "Stop…don't," he cried. He wouldn't beg though! He wasn't going to beg this demon for anything.

Angel noticed the difference in his son immediately. He could see the fight taking place within the youngster to not cry out. He paused and looked down at the dusty pink butt in front of him. He thought now would be the right time to start the talking again. "Connor, we need to get some things straight here. I am your dad, and I am the one that makes the rules."

Connor only sniffed instead of replying. He was more than glad that he had outlasted the vampire's punishment.

Angel continued, "There are rules here and number one is that you are not going to fight me anymore. You are going to live here and be respectful to everyone that enters this building. And you. Will. Not. Bite. Me. Again!" He gave the kid a hard smack after each word.

The tears began to run down Connor's face, but he wasn't going to give in yet.

Angel could smell the tears and asked, "Do you understand?" He waited for the reply but instead got more struggling to break free.

Connor finally said, "Let me go! I don't want to live here! You are not my _dad_."

Angel sighed lightly. He had hoped the boy would acquiesce, but it seemed that more convincing was in order. "Your choice," Angel said and began to swat the boy again.

This elicited a dramatic response, "Nooooo!" Connor cried as he felt the large hand smack him. This _spanking_ thing really sucked! With the whip, Connor could leave the pain and enter a small protected part of his brain. The biting sting of the lashes allowed him to float in a white haze of comfort. This was completely different. The pain, embarrassment and, even though he would never admit it, desire to do what this man said was all fighting to break him.

Pausing again, Angel looked at the red bottom. He decided to go with a different line of questioning, "Who am I, Connor?"

Everything in him wanted to scream, "_my dad_" but he just couldn't let himself go there. Instead he sniffled, "A demon."

Again Angel sighed. This boy was so stubborn. Angel raised his hand and began to target the previously unblemished legs and sit spot.

As expected the writhing increased. Connor shouted, "Noooo!" and against everything he brought up to believe he began to beg and plead for the punishment to stop. "Oww, please stop. I'll do what you say, just no more, please."

Angel stopped but placed his hand on the boy's bottom and felt the heat radiating off it. He asked, "Who am I?"

Connor wasn't ready yet to answer that with what he knew Angel was looking for. "No more, okay? I'll be good, Angelus."

That was not the name Angel was looking for. He needed to start this off the right way. The child in front of him was raised with a warped sense of values and lies. He needed to make sure that at least some of it was set straight. He swatted the boy three times, right on his sit spot before he asked again, "Who am I, Connor?"

Connor tried to throw his hand back to protect his bottom but wasn't able to reach due to Angel's arm wrapped around his middle. He sniffed again but didn't answer.

Angel wasn't going to give in. The boy had inherited his stubborn streak but Angel was not about to be out stubborned by his offspring. "One last chance or we start again. Who am I?"

Connor had did NOT want to 'start again'. He forced the words that his heart had been repeating, "My dad," and then he began to sob.

Relief swept through Angel. He had no desire to continue spanking the boy. He quickly turned him over and cradled him, mindful of the sore bottom his son was now sporting. Angel rocked the child while saying all the "I love you's" and "I'm never going to let anyone take you away again's" that had been festering in him.

Connor's hand clawed into Angel's shirt and he held it in a death grip. The feelings he felt were overwhelming. He couldn't understand how he felt suddenly so safe inside of the arms of the man that just spanked him. And the words of comfort and love were even more confusing. He felt his eyes closing as the gentle rocking and soft words wrapped around him.

Angel felt and heard Connor's breathing even out and knew the boy had fallen asleep. He rocked him a little longer. He knew this wasn't going to be the end of Connor's behavior—but this was a beginning, a new beginning for both of them. He was getting a second chance. He didn't know how long this would last or if any of Connor's earlier memories would return but he was going to do his best to do right by his only child. Everything else they would just have to figure out later.

The End

_A/N: I planned to do a series of short stories in this universe showing how they deal with Connor during various ages. Hope you come along for the ride :)_


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